Head jamb-weatherstrip interlocking key means



Dec. 31, 1968 T. J. BEASLEYQJR ETAL 3,418,754

HEAD JAMB-WEATHERSTRIP INTERLOCKING KEY MEANS Filed Oct. 20, 1967 FIG. 2

Y INVENTORY? RICHARD P. RODENBAUGH moms .1. BEASLEYJW. BY 4/ ,2?

5 FIG. 5 Zlllil'Z United States Patent 3,418,754 HEAD JAMB-WEATHERSTRIPINTERLOCKING KEY MEANS Thomas J. Beasley, Jr., 281 S. Mendenhall Road38117, and Richard P. Rodenbaugh, 416 Goodland Circle 38111, both ofMemphis, Tenn Filed Oct. 20, 1967, Ser. No. 676,746 Claims. (Cl. 49-407)ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE For use in a double sash window installationincluding a somewhat typical window frame having a longitudinallygrooved horizontal head jamb member and a somewhat typical verticalWeatherstrip member having parting bead wall means defining alongitudinally extending grooved back. The inventive structure includesa small clip-like key adapted to be adjustably fitted over the upperedge portion of the Weatherstrip parting bead wall for interposinglyinterlocking the Weatherstrip and the head jamb in a windowinstallation. The interlocking key being adapted to be manipulated froman inactive to an active configuration as the window installation isbeing fabricated. The interlocking key being adapted to be manipulatedfrom a lowered inactive disposition to a raised active dispositionwherein a head portion of the key is permanently received in thehorizontal groove in the window frame head jamb.

Background of the invention Field of the inventi0n.-It relates to thetypical residential double-hung double sash window installation; theinvention particularly relates to fastening means for fasteningWeatherstrip members in window framing.

Description of the prior art.-In prior art residential buildingconstruction, the typical practice is to nail or staple the Weatherstripto the side jamb. In the typical double-hung window installation, theupper and lower sashes and the left and right Weatherstrip-balanceassemblies are installed together and substantially as a unit. At thisstage in the window installation fabrication it is desirable to have aready way for supporting or fastening the sash and Weatherstrip unit inthe window frame. Heretofore, it has been somewhat awkward for a workmanto properly align, hold and nail a sash and weatherstrip unit. Often itis desirable to slightly shift the unit or the Weatherstrip part of theunit after it has been initially positioned in the window frame. Aparticular problem in window fabrication has been the difficulty inproperly aligning a Weatherstrip with the side jamb parting bead grooveand the head jamb parting bead groove in the window frame. In the priorart practice of nailing a Weatherstrip to the side jamb, there wasconsiderable likelihood that the Weatherstrip member would be improperlypositioned. When this was so, it was difficult to remove the nailfasteners and reposition the Weatherstrip.

Summary of the invention The present invention provides a ready way forquickly and accurately positioning a sash-Weatherstrip assemblage in awindow frame. A left and a right interlocking key is hooked respectivelyover the parting bead wall of the left and right Weatherstrip of thesash-Weatherstrip assembly, and as the window installation is beingmade, the pair of interlocking keys (left and right key members) aremoved upwardly into the head jamb parting 3,418,754 Patented Dec. 31,1968 ICC bead groove. This correctly positions and secures thesash-Weatherstrip assembly in the window frame.

Each interlocking key is adapted to be frictionally secured on arespective Weatherstrip in an inactive disposition; preferably, aninterlocking key is frictionally secured on each Weatherstrip member aseach member is packaged for shipment. A purchaser or user of aweatherstrip-sash assembly, as the assembly is being installed in awindow frame, has only to simultaneously manipulate the pair ofinterlocking keys from inactive dispositions (as shipped or packaged) toan active and locked disposition. No nails, staples or other fastenersare required in installing a sash-Weatherstrip assembly in a windowframe; no tools are required to install the sash-weatherstrip unit andit can be positioned in the window frame entirely by hand. Eachinterlocking key is frictionally secured on a respective Weatherstripmember, thus preventing the likelihood of misplacing an interlockingkey; no nails or other loose fasteners are required in the installationof a sash-Weatherstrip assembly and all necessary parts for such anassembly may be shipped as a package.

Left and right interlocking keys, after they are installed in a windowinstallation, also function as stop member means for stopping the upwardmovement of the lower sash of the window installation. When the lowersash is moved to a fully open position, the upper corner portions of thelower sash engage the left and right key members and prevent the sashfrom abuttingly engaging the underside of the head jamb. Suchinterlocking key stop means prevents damaging the lower sash and headjamb as the window is moved upwardly to a fully open disposition.

Brief description of the drawing FIG. 1 is an environmmental sideelevational view of an interlocking key (a righthand key as viewed fromright to left) and a sectionalized illustration of the upper righthandportion of a window installationthe interlocking key member isillustrated in a raised active disposition.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but illustrating the interlocking keyin a lowered inactive disposition.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the key member and a sectionalized illustrationof the window framing, taken on the line III-III of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is perspective view of the interlocking key.

FIG. 5 is a horizontal plane sectional view of the key member as viewedupwardly and along line VV of FIG. 4.

Description of the preferred embodiment In the drawing only oneinterlocking key 'r'nember (a righthand key member) is illustrated andonly the upper righthand portion of a window installation isillustrated: Upper and lower window sashes 11, 13 (fragmentarily shownin broken lines) are slidably secured in a window frame in a typicalmanner. A right side jamb 15 and Weatherstrip member 17, and a head jamb19 guidingly constrain upper and lower sashes 11, 13 in the window framein a typical manner. Weatherstrip member 17 typically extends from thewindow sill (not shown) to head jamb 19 and with the back of theWeatherstrip member correspondingly confrontingly engaging inwardsurface 21 of side jamb 15. Weatherstrip member 17 includes structuredefining inside and outside guideways 23, 25 for guidingly constrainingrespectively inside lower sash 13 and outside upper sash 11.Weatherstrip member 17 typically includes longitudinally extendingvertical inside and outside terminal flanges 27, 29 and inside andoutside tubular sash balance spring housings 31, 33.

Weatherstrip member 17 includes longitudinally extending verticallyarranged parting bead wall structure including inward and outwardlydisposed parting bead wall portions 35, 37 respectively and a medialwall portion 39 integrally interconnecting wall portions 35, 37.U-sectioned parting bead wall structure 35, 37, 39 extends the fulllength of Weatherstrip member 17 and defines a longitudinally extendingenclosed area 41 extending vertically from the window frame sill member(not shown) to underside surface 43 of head jamb 19. Member 17 is spaceda slight distance below head jamb 19 and the space between head jambundersurface 43 and Weatherstrip upper edge 45 defines a horizontallyextending gap 47.

Head jamb 19 typically includes a longitudinally extending horizontalhead jamb parting bead grooveway 49 defined by inward and outward groovewall surfaces 51, 53 and a groove bottom surface 55. A window framefacing member 57 is typically secured on outward edge surface 59 of sidejamb 15. Outside flange portion 29 of Weatherstrip member 17 is adaptedto abuttingly engage inward surface 63 of facing member flange portion61. The size and configuration of the various window components is suchthat with Weatherstrip outside flange 29 engaging facing flange 61Weatherstrip parting bead wall structure 35, 37, 39 is verticallyaligned with grooveway 49 in head jamb 19.

The interlocking key of the invention is indicated by numeral 65 andwill be described as illustrated in the drawings, and as in its normallyarranged disposition: Interlocking key 65 is of generally invertedU-configuration and includes parallel vertically extending trunk andspur portions 67, 69 respectively. A head portion 71 including a headhook portion 73 and a spur hook portion 75 interconnect trunk portion 67and spur portion 69. Interlocking key 65 is preferably formed integrallyof substantially hard somewhat resilient plastic material; key 65 ispreferably cross-cut formed from an extruded bar of plastic material,and such a bar having a cross-sectional configuration as seen in FIGS. 1and 2.

Trunk portion 67 and head portion 69 are integrally joined and are eachgenerally rectangular in cross-sectional configuration. Head hookportion 73 and spur hook portion 75 are generally thin and flat intransverse cross section and are arranged generally in anL-configuration (as viewed laterally in FIGS. 1 and 2). Head hookportion 73 is integrally secured at its upper portion 77 to the upperportion of head portion 71 of trunk 67. Head hook portion 73 curvesoutwardly and downwardly from head portion 71 and extends generallyvertically downwardly to an integral intersection with horizontal spurhook portion 75. A transversely extending detent rib portion 79 isintegrally secured to and protrudes slightly downwardly from theunderside of spur hook portion 75 adjacent its intersection with headhook portion 73. The open space between head portion 71 and head hookportion 73 defines a vertically extending downwardly opening throat 81.Spur hook portion 75 is integrally secured to and projects horizontallyfrom upper portion 83 of spur portion 69. Spur portion upper portion 83in conjunction with spur hook portion 75 and detent rib portion 79define a transversely extending downwardly oriented recess 85.

Key 65 is adapted to be vertically manipulated from a lowered inactivedisposition (FIG. 2) to a raised active disposition (FIG. 1). When in aninactive disposition, key 65 is pendantly supported from Weatherstripmember 17 with head hook portion 73 hooked over the upper edge portionof Weatherstrip member parting bead wall 35; the upper portion ofparting bead wall 35 is frictionally received in throat 81 of theinterlocking key. When in a raised active disposition (FIG. 1),interlocking key 65 is dependingly supported from Weatherstrip member 17with spur hook portion 75 hooked over the upper edge portion ofWeatherstrip member parting bead wall 35; when in a raised dispositionhead portion 71 of key 65 is snugly arranged in head jamb grooveway 49and interlocks the head jamb and Weatherstrip member. With key 65 in araised and locked disposition, detent rib 79 is arranged substantiallywithin enclosed area 41 and contiguous the upper edge portion of partingbead inward wall 35; detent rib 79 prevents inadvertent relativedisplacement of Weatherstrip member 17 and key 65 as the windowinstallation is being fabricated.

In installing a window assembly including upper and lower sashes andright and left Weatherstrip members the assembly is substantiallyinstalled in a window frame as a unit assembly. In installing thesash-Weatherstrip assembly the window sashes are arranged in loweredpositions between the right and left Weatherstrip members and theassembly is restingly positioned on the sill section of the windowframe. The upper portions of the Weatherstrip members and sash assemblyis then canted inwardly into the upper section of the window frame.During this stage of the window installation the left and rightinterlocking keys 65 are arranged in lowered inactive dispositions asillustrated in FIG. 2. The right and left Weatherstrip members arepressed away from the workman and forwardly until the outside flangeportions 29 of the left and right Weatherstrip members 17 abuttinglyengage flange portions 61 of frame facing members 57. The workmancontinues the outward movement of the Weatherstrip members and in sodoing moves head portions 71 of interlocking keys 65 past head jambgrooveway 49; by thumb pressing upwardly on spur portions 69 of the leftand right interlocking keys 65 as the interlocking keys 65 move pastgrooveway 49, the keys are vertically shifted into the head jambgrooveway, thus locking the sash-Weatherstrip unit in the window frame.

As is readily apparent, the size and shape of interlocking key 65 andthe size and shape of the various coacting elements of the windowinstallation are relative: The transverse configuration of interlockingkey trunk and head portions 67, 71 are relative to the transverseconfiguration of Weatherstrip member parting bead wall structure 35, 37,39. The transverse horizontal configuration of interlocking key headportion 71 and grooveway sidewall surfaces 51, 53 are also relative. hrthe interlocking key structure per se, the vertical thickness of headhook portion upper portion 77 should be substantially commensurate withthe vertical thickness of spur hook portion 75. Moreover, the verticalthicknesses respectively of portions 75, 77 should each be the same orslightly less than the vertical dimension of horizontal gap 47 of thegap width defined by upper edge 45 of weatherstrip member 17 andundersurface 43 of head jamb 19.

The horizontal width of interlocking key throat 81 should be less thanthe wall thickness of Weatherstrip parting bead wall portion 35; thevertically extending head hook portion 73 of key 65 is preferably cantedslightly inwardly toward trunk portion 67, when parting bead wallportion 35 is not received in throat 81 (see FIGS. 1 and 4). By virtueof the resilient characteristics of the plastic material of spur hookportion 75, spur hook portion 73 is resiliently urged inwardly towardtrunk portion 67 and is adapted to frictionally engage parting bead wallportion 35.

The lower end surface of spur portion 69 of interlocking key 65 isadapted to abuttingly engage the upper surface of lower inside sash 13to prevent damage to sash l3 and head jamb 19 (see FIG. 1). Thus, spurportion 69 provides stop means for stopping the upward movement of lowersash 13 when it is moved to a fully open disposition.

Now while I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention, it will be understood that variousmodifications andrearrangements of structure may be made without departing from the scopeof the invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a double sash window installation including a side jamb and a headjamb right angularly arranged and a Weatherstrip member correspondinglyabuttingly en gaged with said side jamb and terminating at its upper:end adjacent said head jamb and further with. said. heatlt jambincluding structure defining a longitudinal horizon tal groovewayextending along the inward lower side surface of said head jamb andterminating adjacent said vertical side jamb, and with said Weatherstripmember including transversely horizontally configured generally U-shaped parting bead wall structure defining substantially a longitudinalvertical grooveway extending along that side of said Weatherstripabuttingly engaging said side jamb and with said parting bead wallstructure of said Weatherstrip member and said side jamb defining avertically extending enclosed area terminated at its upper portion bythe upper edge of said Weatherstrip parting bead wall and by said headjamb; an interlocking key adapted to be installed in said windowinstallation for preventing relative lateral displacement of saidweatherstrip member and said head jamb comprising a vertically extendingtrunk portion, a head portion superjacently secured on said trunkportion including a head hook portion secured to and extending laterallyand downwardly from the upper portion of said head portion, a spurportion extending generally vertically and parallel said trunk portionand including a generally horizontal spur hook portion secured to andinterconnecting the lower portion of said head hook portion and theupper portion of said spur portion; said key member being adapted to bearranged with said trunk portions extending vertically in saidvertically extending enclosed area defined by said side jamb and saidWeatherstrip parting bead wall and adapted to be generally verticallymanipulated from a lowered inactive disposition to a raised activedisposition, when in said inactive disposition said key member beingdependingly supported from said Weatherstrip member with said head hookportion being hooked over the upper edge portion of said Weatherstripmember parting bead wall and when arranged in said active dispositionsaid key member being dependingly supported from said Weatherstripmember with said spur hook portion hooked over the upper edge portion ofsaid Weatherstrip member parting bead wall and with said head portionprojecting upwardly into the longitudinal horizontal grooveway in saidhead jamb.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said interlocking key includes adetent portion secured to and protruding slightly downwardly from theunderside of said spur hook portion; said detent portion being adaptedto be arranged substantially within said enclosed area and contiguousthe upper edge portion of said parting bead wall when said key isarranged in an active disposition and is dependingly supported from saidWeatherstrip member.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein said interlocking key includesspring means for resiliently frictionally securing said key to saidWeatherstrip member when said key is in an inactive disposition and saidkey member head hook portion is hooked over the upper edge portion ofsaid Weatherstrip parting bead wall.

4. The structure of claim 3 wherein said spring means resides in theshape and size of said key head hook portion relative to the shape andsize of said Weatherstrip parting bead wall upper edge portion and inthe resiliently flexible characteristic of the material of constructionof the head hook portion of said key member; when in said inactivedisposition said key member being adapted to be dependingly supported onsaid Weatherstrip member with the parting bead wall upper edge portionthereof being frictionally secured interposedly between said headportion and said head hook portion of said key.

5. An interlocking key of integral form adapted to be installed in adouble sash window installation of the type including a side jamb andhead jamb right angularly arranged and a Weatherstrip membercorrespondingly confrontingly abuttingly engaged with said side jamb andterminating at its upper end adjacent said head jamb and further withsaid head jamb including structure defining a longitudinal groovewayextending along the inward lower side surface of said head jamb andterminating adjacent said vertical side jamb, and with said Weatherstripmember including transversely horizontally configured generally U-shapedparting bead wall structure defining substantially a longitudinalvertical grooveway extending along that side of said Weatherstripabuttingly engaging said side jamb and with said parting bead wallstructure of said Weatherstrip member and said side jamb member defininga vertically extending enclosed area terminated at its upper portion bythe upper edge of said weatherstrip parting bead wall and by said headjamb, said interlocking key comprising a vertically extending bar-liketrunk portion, a head portion superjacently integrally secured on saidtrunk portion including a substantially thin curved head hook portionsecured to and extending laterally and downwardly from the upper portionof said head portion and defining a downwardly opening throat areadisposed between said head hook portion and said head portion, abar-like spur portion extending generally vertically and arrangedparallel with said trunk portion and including a generally horizontalsubstantially thin straight spur hook portion secured to andinterconnecting the lower portion of said head hook portion and theupper portion of said spur portion, and a detent rib portion extendingtransversely of said key and protruding slightly downwardly from theunderside of said spur hook portion and defining a transverselyextending recess in the underside of said spur hook portion; saidinterlocking key being adapted to be arranged with said trunk portionextending vertically in said vertically extending enclosed area definedby said side jamb and said Weatherstrip parting bead wall structure andadapted to be generally vertically manipulated from a lowered inactivedisposition to a raised active disposition; when in said inactivedisposition, said key being dependingly supported from said Weatherstripmember with said head hook portion hooked over the upper edge portion ofsaid Weatherstrip parting bead wall and with said wall being received insaid throat area of said key, and when arranged in an activedisposition, said key being dependingly supported from said Weatherstripmember with said spur hook portion being hooked over the upper edgeportion of said Weatherstrip member parting bead wall with said upperedge parting bead wall being received in said recess of said key andwith said head portion projecting upwardly into the longitudinalhorizontal grooveway in said head jamb for preventing relative lateraldisplacement of said Weatherstrip member and said head jamb.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,118,191 1/1964 Sparks et al.49-407 3,121,923 2/1964 De Bruyn et a1 49-407 3,363,363 1/1968 Beasleyet al. 49407 DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner.

J. KARL BELL, Assistant Examiner.

